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Tavira

History

Tavira is one of the most historic cities of modern Portugal. Its history dates back to the late Bronze age as a Phoenician colonial settlement. At the time of the Roman occupation in the 2nd Century BC Tavira was considered of little importance. The Moorish occupation of Tavira between the 8th and 13th centuries left its mark on the agriculture, architecture and culture of the area. That influence can still be seen in Tavira today with its whitewashed buildings, Moorish style Reixa doors, and unusual oriental style roofs. An earlier castle, two mosques and palaces were built by the Moors. The impressive seven arched "roman bridge" is not considered to be Roman, but originates from a 12th Century Moorish bridge. Economically this was a good time for Tavira, and the city was also establishing itself as an important port of entry for sailors and fishermen.

In 1242 Dom Paio Peres Correia took Tavira back from the Moors in a bloody battle. This was in retaliation for the murder of six of his knights of the crusading Order of St James plus an artisan who was hunting with them. With the Christians regaining control of Tavira. most Muslims left the town, but a small number did remain, establishing a Moorish quarter known as Mouraria. The population of Tavira was decimated as a result of this battle. The church of Santa Maria do Castelo, which is built on the site of one of the original Muslim mosques, holds the tomb of Dom Paio Perres Correia and his knights. The church dates from the 13th century and the clock tower has been remodeled from the original Muslim minaret. The sculptured head of Dom Paio Perres Correia who died in 1275 can be seen on the right hand corner of the town hall. The reign of King D Manuel 1520-1557 saw Tavira elevated to city status. The strategic location of Tavira was vitally important to the military campaigns in North Africa. It provided a hospital for the wounded soldiers and the port ensured a continued supply of provisions. It was at this time that the population increased and settlements were established outside the city walls. The city gate, the Porta de D Manuel, was opened, and can still be seen today proudly displaying the royal coat of arms. It was indeed a prosperous time for Tavira. Records show that in 1530 Tavira was the biggest city in the Algarve. Fortunes were to change however. The North African campaign was abandoned in the mid 16th century and the importance of Tavira lessened, especially as the silting up of the River Gilão was giving problems to the large boats entering the port. A renewed North Africa campaign took place during the reign of King Sebastiao from 1557-1578. The Forte do Rato was built at the mouth of the estuary, to protect Tavira from the particularly aggressive North African pirates who were raiding coastal ports along the Algarve. The remains of the fort stand today on the eastern side of Tavira. An outbreak of the plague in 1645-46, the further silting up of the River Gilão, and the earthquake of 1755 were major factors in the subsequent decline of Tavira´s economic importance. Tuna fishing and the canning industry brought new life in the 19th- 20th century. Today Tavira's renewed prosperity is based on EU membership, tourism, foreign and ex patriot investment and fishing.

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